Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: xxmattyxx on December 05, 2007, 03:29:52 pm
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I am seriously considering investing in WFP.
My workload is getting larger and larger, through advertising, recommendations and also a number of local shiners jacking it in.
Also I seem to be picking up a good few places that would benefit from using a pole, just done a place where the guy really wants the windows over his conservatory done, the conservatory roof done regularly; this is just one place, but did another new place last week where I was unhappy up the ladder and knew a pole would alleviate those concerns. Also have picked up a nice bit of leaded windows which instead of taking 4 hours between them would be done in half the time.
Now.........Ive looked at WCW trolley, its just a tank on a barrow, it looks awful and is far too bulky; and at the mo have a Vauxhall Cavalier. Next year I'll be getting something like a Kangoo, a van of that nature anyway.
So, Im not getting a second-hand Freedom, £500.00 for a sack-truck and 8 x 25 litre water barrels is a joke. But, sack-trucks retail at £35.00 ;D ;D
So, is it worth buying a scak-truck and getting a metaweldingblokeie to weld on some brackets for the water barrel to sit on and another to hold a battery? Probably cost £100.00.
Then the pole, which one guys, this is just for domestic, I dont need a 40 footer, but want recommendations for some sort of 18/24 footer.
Then theres the RO, I would want a 300 gallon a day jobbie, probably look at RO mans or freedom do a 300 gallon job for about £200.00.
A decent water holding reservoir, about £100.00 and its from thsi at the back of my house that the water would be pumped once I have my van, but it wouldnt be needed with the trolley, only once Ive got my new wheels.
What do you guys think please???
Also, what changes recomendations would you suggest please???
Thanks.
Matt
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http://www.cleanitup.co.uk/smf/index.php?topic=46872.new#new
Would this not do you?
Saves all the hassle of having one made up
The pole at 18ft if money is a deciding factor you could get a cheap g/f pole look at cleantechs site
http://www.cleantech.co.uk/catalog/index.php?cPath=22_24
Dean
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Hmm, my missus just told me to go and get a new one ;D ;D
Just spoken to Andrew too, nice helpful guy, good advice.
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I've now had my Freedom trolley for 2 weeks......
Perfect for my round as I mix WFP, with a bit of squeegee.
The Freedom trolley, and RO units are a doddle to set up.
Get yourself a bit holding tank, and order a few more barrels - it comes with six anway, but I now have nine, and could do with a couple more.
The pole that comes with it is OK, but I soon discovered I needed a longer pole.
Also, get yourself a inline on/off valve - saves you spraying the house walls, and bending down to turn your pump off.
I brought a Gardiners 27ft - and that doe's the job nicely - if you do you get a longer pole go for the lightest, stiffest you can afford ( lightweight brush too) .
I needed the longer pole not so much for height, but for reaching dormer windows. I find my 27ft standard glass fibre pole a beast to handle when fully stretched, and holding at 35degrees :-\.
Both Andrew @ Freedom, and Alex @ Gardiners are top folks, and offer good advice and help
Hope this helps
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I bought a 2nd hand freedom trolley for £500 and have been very happy with it. Everything still runs perfectly. Although the pump and varistream + battery can be bought anywhere.
you could get yourself a sack truck and put one of these on it:
http://www.cleantech.co.uk/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=22_26&products_id=100
or doesn't scrim shady sell trolleys that look very similar to the freedom? It doesn't have a pump controller from what i could see, but similar in other ways.
Or you could buy a backpack and put that on a sack truck.
The only drawback with a backpack apart from the limilted carrying capacity, is that it won't run a van mount once you eventually get a van and a tank.
Though that would be the cheapest option.
The freedom trolley that was for sale a week or 2 back is in my opinion well worth the money. It could pay for itself with a couple of 8 hour days.
They are a good bit of kit though the mark2 looks superior to the 1st one as its much lighter.
Whatever portable option you go for, the best thing you can do if possible is to get a tank and 12v submersible pump. Alot less troublesome than carrying and emptying 25 litre barrels around.
I can't knock the other trolleys performance wise but the freedom (and scrim shadys) do look better, if appearance is your thing.
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I have been running a freedom trolly and I love it......
get the bigger 24 ft pole as then you can do 3 storey town houses too
All very helpfull at freedom just get em to locktight the freeking bolts at the front
and order a tds meter straight away as mine took 3 weeks to get through
Brilliant kit well worth the knowledge of not falling of a ladder at this time of year ;-)
regards J
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i do trolleys that come with a pump controller, just ordered some new varistreams and they look the business.
I am selling quite a few now and had no complaints
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could you so one of your trollies with a small di vessel onboard? Luke
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hello luke i have just sold one with a 750ml di vessel onboard and am setting one of me workers up with one aswell, they work fine.
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Scrim, I think you should get a little site set up or just a blog where you can post pictures of the trolleys, people like to see the product. Luke
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Scrim, I think you should get a little site set up or just a blog where you can post pictures of the trolleys, people like to see the product. Luke
Luke. www.purefreedom.co.uk That's where you can see the product the Shadyscrim is trying to copy. >:( :P
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i do trolleys that come with a pump controller, just ordered some new varistreams and they look the business.
I am selling quite a few now and had no complaints
Scrim can you post some more info please, design/pics/setup etc.
Would be nice to know what your offering.
Thanks.
Matt
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Don't bother with a copy......
If your going to buy a ready made set up - go for the Pure Freedom!
You know a copy is never as good as the original
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there are very few features to a Purefreedom trolley, all the features can easily be replicated with exactly the same materials and fittings, Luke
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I just recived my Trolley off ScrimShady!! have to say its a great little thing no complaints am really pleased. Great value even got a battery and charger which i wasnt expecting and hes a nice bloke!
Havent tried it yet because have to get my RO set up which am doing over next few days and weekend, i was going to get van mount system but after having a big prob with the van had to spend out 700 odd pound the cash was abit tight and i allready had most of the parts like pump vari etc.
Dave
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I,m up early this morning becauseI have to do a job and have it finished by 7.
All I can say is that there are some real hypocrites around with double standards.
Someone else has put all the effort and money into designing and developing the trolley and it's just a blatant rip-off that is going on here. It makes me very angry to see this going on. What happened to honour? There is none where this is concerned.
Luke you say it can easily be replicated. Well this is also true for window cleaning. You and others have put the time and effort into buldling your businesses and would probably be the first to come on here and complain if another window cleaner started to take your customers by undercutting you. >:(
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personaly dont see the problem in designs being copied by other people it helps
to have competitive market and people come up with add ons and new ideas.
it happens in every industry so why should window cleaning be any different
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had a few probs wth my freedom trolley but the guys there have been really good and helpful and i would reccomend u buy.
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iv got a real freedom trolly on hear For 299.00
iain2342@btinternet.com
if any body is intrested
thx iain
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no disrespect to either trolley's
BUT
they are sack trucks with a battery box / strap to hold barrel on and a folding handle
its not stuff NASA spent Millions on
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personaly dont see the problem in designs being copied by other people it helps
to have competitive market and people come up with add ons and new ideas.
it happens in every industry so why should window cleaning be any different
So given what you say I don't see any problem in knocking every one of your customer's doors and delibarately undercutting you to get the business. Don't think it can't be done either. There are plenty of people who will work for a lot less than most WCers here earn. I have done the figures and could easily employ people and undercut a lot of window cleaners and still make a decent profit. I won't do it for now but maybe old values aren't valid any more.
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Ok ok guys.
Now maybe Im a bit thick, and I do realise they are glorified sack trucks, but being that Ive never done WFP and sometimes it feels like being blinded with science, you know what I mean?
Well, okay, maybe you dont, but............
I read on here threads about, this pole that pole, this brush that brush, this fishing rod that fishing rod, this varistream that varistream, so.................if these are really just sack-trucks where do you get the parts that come with the sack-truck, what would you recommend, what combinations?
Im most concerned about:
Battery and charger.
Necessary piping, how it goes together.
Pole.
Brush.
Because if the unit is bought new from Freedom you'll get ALL you need, no mucking about, no setting up and going to first job only to find 'Oh sh!t I aint got the connector to fit the pipe to the pump!!!'
So if I was to make my own where do I start?
Matt
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Matt
The other Matt on the forum runs his own forum and it's a mine of info on how to do it yourself. I daren't post the link to it but he has an email addy in his profile that you can use to get the forum info.
I haven't got the time or to be honest inclination to go through all the messing about trying to save a few quid on a system with no guarantees or back up but it seems to be a popular way of getting into WFP.
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I'm very pleased with my Freedom Trolley. Exremely compact when folded down which was crucial for me and can also be operated one handed as opposed to most sack trucks. If you do get one get a spare barrel cap that you can fit to the barrel hose as you will find quite a bit of water sloshes out when it is full. As 99% of my work s domestic, I find a cleantech trigger fitted to my pole brilliant for saving water. Not everyones favourite I know but it sure works for me. Refer to previous posts for fitting instructions.